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The School of Business and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Initiatives at Miami Dade College, in collaboration with the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Miami present

The China - Latin America Connection: Political Impact and Economic Trends
April 25, 2013 | 11:15 am - 12:30 pm

China and Latin America are two of the most prominent emerging regions in the world and their collaborations are compounding rapidly. The increased presence of China in the Americas and the growing relevance of South-South relationships also presents a new outlook on hemispheric relations to the United States. This panel of experts seeks to explore the political implications of China's increased presence in Latin America as well as depict the overall macro-trends resulting from this growing integration.

Opening Remarks:
Dr. Ana M. Cruz, Chair, School of Business , Wolfson Campus

Panelists
Ariel Armony, Director, Center for Latin American Studies, University of Miami
Ana Corrales, Professor of Economics, Miami Dade College
Gonzalo Paz, Professor, School of International Service, American University

Facilitator
Dr. Juan Antonio Blanco-Gil, Director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Initiatives at Miami Dade College

Miami Dade College
Wolfson Campus
Building 8, Room 8501
300 NE 2nd Ave
Miami, FL

For more information, please contact Ms. Maite Delgado at (305) 237‐3733

 

Initiatives

  • On April 1, 2013 Miami Dade College welcomed internationally known Cuban independent journalist and dissident Yoani Sanchez. Ms. Sanchez was interviewed by journalist Miriam Marquez of the Miami Herald at the Freedom Tower. More than a thousand persons and two hundred journalists crowded the Tower while the event was also webcast and broadcast live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am1PVJ7U3L4&feature=youtu.be
  • On March 22, 2013 Miami Dade College's Center for Latin American and Caribbean Initiatives and City of Miami Mayor's International Council presented SERESTA - A musical tribute from Medellin, Colombia, to the 500th Anniversary of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon's discovery of Florida. This Grammy Award-nominated Colombian instrumental group delivered an exquisite recital of traditional Latin - American music from three of their albums. The free program and accompanying commentary was presented in Spanish
  • On February 12 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Wolfson Campus of Miami Dade College, Dr. Carmelo Mesa Lago made a brilliant presentation of his new book -Raul Castro's economic and social reforms in Cuba and their effects (Madrid Editorial Colibri, 2012) - at an overcrowded auditorium of students and faculty members as well as academics from the Miami community. Copies of the book were sold and autographed by the author at the end of his presentation. This event was convened at Miami Dade College by CLACI, The School of Business, the Department of Social Sciences, and The Center for Literature and Theatre at MDC. The presentation was also cosponsored by the Cuban Research Institute of Florida International University, the Association for Studies on the Cuban Economy (ASCE), and the National Association of Cuban American Educators (NACAE).
  • The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Initiatives helped organize Reconciliation and Change (September) at Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus. This event, an initiative of the Cuba Study Group together with Miami Dade College, brought together an ambassador from South Africa who participated in negotiations to end the Apartheid regime, a member of the Irish Parliament who took part in
    the peace talks representing the Sin Fein, a Catholic Priest from Chicago who is a well-known expert in conflict management and peace negotiations, and a Cuban exile who spoke about his long, painful, and unfinished, journey to reconciliation. Archbishop of Miami Thomas Gerard Wenski and the President of the Cuba Study Group Carlos Saladrigas made the opening speeches.
  • The Center cosponsored a seminar on social remittances in the Caribbean together with Florida International University in the Dominican Republic (September). The event gathered a group of experts on migration from the United States, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
  • The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Initiatives, along with eight Latin American consulates in Miami, launched Binational Hispanic Health Week (September). The event invited the public as well as various members of the media to learn about preventative care and the free health services facilitated by Latin American consulates in Miami.
  • Two conferences on 1962 missile crisis were cosponsored by the Center and the Wolfson Campus Department of Social Sciences (October). The events took place at the Auditorium of the ETCOTA (Building 7), where an eager audience occupied all the available seats. The Executive Director of CLACI made two separate presentations at these events, with the help of other distinguished professors from Miami Dade College faculties.
  • The executive director of the Center delivered the opening keynote speech for Hispanic Heritage Month at the Miami Dade College Hialeah Campus (October). The conference, titled From Brain Drain to Brain Gain, was devoted to the need to foster social and knowledge remittances for economic and social development in the Americas.
  • The Center, with the Wolfson Campus Honors College, cosponsored a presentation by USAID officials on the various paths available to students for joining public service (October).
  • The Center partnered with the Cuban Research Institute of Florida International University and the Cuba Study Group to sponsor the bilingual website Diaspora & Development (www.diasporaydesarrollo.com). The website is a digital library on issues related to migration, migration policy, diasporas, remittances and development, and other related topics.
  • This fall, Dr. Juan Antonio Blanco, executive director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Initiatives, represented Miami Dade College at events at the University of Miami, The Office of the Mayor of the City of Miami, the Foreign Service Institute of the Department of
    State, the Institute of Cuban and Cuban American Studies, and the Miami Book Fair International where he presented a book that he coauthored. The panel at the book fair was presented by the provost of Miami Dade College, Dr. Rolando Montoya.
  • The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Initiatives is developing a strategic alliance with other stakeholders for facilitating the transfer of social and knowledge remittances of the Latin American and Caribbean diasporas back to their countries of origin. Successful pilot projects were developed in Haiti and Colombia for transferring knowledge on the use of information technologies and English as Second Language. Similar initiatives are being planned for implementation in 2013 in other countries throughout the region. On December 12, Miami Dade College hosted a high-level discussion on the issue of social and knowledge remittances at its Wolfson Campus that brought together a distinguished group of researcher, academics, practitioners, and governmental officials from the USAID and Mexico’s foreign affairs ministry.

New Initiatives in 2013

  • Throughout 2013 and as a follow-up to Reconciliation and Change, the Center plans a slate of activities focusing on the topics of violence, conflict management, peace building, and reconciliation that will feature round tables, lectures,workshops, film presentations, and more.

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disability, veteran´s status, sexual orientation, or genetic information. Contact the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs/ADA Coordinator, at 305.237.2577 for information.